Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-12-17
A LONDON LETTER.
POLICE, THE UNEMPLOYED
AND THE SOCIALISTS.
Coercion Applied In LOndOn-English-
men Object-Free Speech At All
HaZards-SceneS In Trafa.
gar Square-The End
Not Yet Here.

LONDON, Nov. 3l.-Many import
ant events have taken place here
since my last letter. The policy of
coercion which the Tory govern
ment has carried on in Ireland, has
now been introduced into the me-
tropolis. Forssthe last two Sundays
part of London has been practical
ly in state of siege.
In my last letter | spoke Of the
unemployed meetings and parades.
After being dispersed in Hyde Park,
the unemployed were allowed again
to meet in Trafalgar Square On
some days, however, these meetings
were dispersed. And of a total of
twenty-one daily meetings. held in
the Square, sixteen wore allowed and
five dispersed. On November s, the
day preceding the Lord Mayors show,
Sir Charles Warren, the Military
Commissioner of the Metropolitan
Police, issued proclamation prohib-
iting all meetings in Trafalgar
Square, "until further notice. "
Trafalgar Square has been for thirty
years or more, a recognized meeting
place for the metropolis. Thousands
of people can gather there without
hindrance to traffic, especially on
Sunday. Moreover, open-air gath
erings are the only means by which
English citizens can make their
voices heard, for most of the large
halls and theatcrs are closed against
political meetings Of democratic
character. Previous to this latter
proclamation by Sir Charles Warren,
the Metropolitan Radical Federation
had resolved to hold a mass meet ng
in Trafalgar Square, Sunday Nov.
IS, to protest against the imprson-
ment of William OBrien, M. P,
under the Irish Crimes Act A
deputatlon from the M. II. +. there
fore waited on the Home Secretary
with reference to the meeting, but
the Right Honorable gentleman re-
fused to see any of the deputation,
save Mr.. Cunninghame Graham, M.
p, to whom he stated that sit was
the intention of Her Majesty's gov
ernment that the meeting should net
be allowed" In spite of this the
Metropolitan Radical Federation re-
solved to adhere to the Original de-
csion to hold the meeting in l'rafal-
gar Square, as they rightIy consd-
cred the prohibition Of Sir Charles
Warren to be tyrannical and despot-
ic in the extreme. On learning this
the Social Democratic Fed GRAFTON re-
solved to offer the Rad icals their
support on the ground that the right
of free speech and free public meet
ing were in danger. The offer was
cordially accepted. On Saturday
afternoon, Sir Chharles Warren is
sued another proclamation. The
Commissioner of Metropolitan Police
is very fond Of issuing proclamations.
Scarcely week passes now but pass
ers-by can see on the boardiugs and
bill-pos'ing places the big black type
of 81, Charles Warren" The last
proclamation was to the effect that
no procession would be allowed to
approach Trafalgar Square on the
following day. This prob bition was,
if anything, more outrageous than
the previous one. The right of pro-
cession through the streets so long
as people kept on the NOV e has never
been questioned.
To secure the carrying outo these
arbitrary proclamations, Trafalgar
Square was guarded by police and
military as follows: 1900 police on
foot, 200 horse police, 800 grenadier
guards with fixed bayonets, and 20
rounds of ball cartridge, 300 Life
Guards (horse) with 90 rounds for
their carbines. The post police had
their usual truncheons, whilst the
horse police were armed with ball
cartridge for their reyolyerS. Bodit 4